


Intertwining

by santanico



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-07
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 16:07:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3698534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/santanico/pseuds/santanico
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen and Lavellan deal with how people perceive their relationship - humans and elves, alike.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intertwining

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted [here](http://dragonage-kink.livejournal.com/13696.html?thread=53500800#t53500800). i made some very slight changes from the original, but that's about it.

The first time Cullen hears one of the soldiers muttering about the _knife-ear_ and catches a reference to _Commander's bed quarters_ something flares up in him that's heavy, painful, and hard to contain.

Still - he doesn't say anything.

-

Lavellan licks her lips and sits on his desk, her legs hanging over the edge as she stares at the floor.

Cullen sighs. "I'm sorry," he says.

"It's alright. The Lavellans aren't...particularly fond of you, either."

Cullen presses his lips together and closes his eyes, rubbing his fingers at his temple. "It's not - it's not exactly the same." He knows that much. Humans have enslaved elves, destroyed their cultures, and he's not done a thing about it. That Lavellan's clan might be suspicious of him is unsurprising.

She sighs, flicks a strand of hair away from her face, and looks at him. "It's nerve racking, yes," she admits, and Cullen's heart tenses at the slight shiver in her voice. "It's not just because of you. Being the Inquisitor...there's been hostility for a while." She shrugs, smiles. "I've heard it before. It means nothing. It says nothing about who I am."

He approaches her then, resting his hands on her thighs. She turns her smile on him, and kisses him. Cullen's glad she does, decides to cup her face and kiss her for longer.

Whatever it is, it is worth it.

-

Cassandra shakes her head. "This _cannot_ go on, Commander. Relieve them from their duties."

Cullen hesitates, shaking his head. "It will do the Inquisition no good to lose soldiers."

"They are not good people, and we don't need such violently racist men to be what the Inquisition is seen as." Cassandra folds her arms. "I'm disappointed, Commander. You care for her, that is clear. She cares for you. Why would you allow this behavior to continue?"

"I..." He doesn't know how to answer her. He thinks _For the good of the Inquisition,_ and _Because she said it didn't matter_ but he knows the answer are faulty. "I apologize, Lady Seeker." Cassandra raises an eyebrow at him then, but her mouth twitches in what might be a smile. "I will find those responsible and have them relieved, immediately."

-

"What happened to our soldiers."

Lavellan's voice is dry, and frustrated.

"I had a talk with Cassandra. We kept only the best."

"I _know_ what happened, she told me." Lavellan's arms are folded over her chest. Cullen glances at her face and her expression is twisted. "I...told you not to worry." She reaches out, touches his arm. "I don't want this to hurt us."

"If it hurts you, it hurts us." He kisses her, softly, and she pushes herself up on her toes to kiss him back. "You are the backbone of all of this. I'm sorry I hadn't realized that sooner."

"Oh, Cullen," she says, lacing her fingers in his hair and pressing her forehead to his. "Come to bed with me. I don't care what anyone says. I have missed you so, so much."

He lifts her easily, and carries her down the halls to her chambers as she laughs.

-

Sera is kinder than Solas. Cullen knows that Sera finds him amusing, and though she's put off when he holds Lavellan's hand ("She's a good catch, huh? Never seen an elf-y one as pretty as she is. Too elf-y for me, though. Good luck. Maybe not so elf-y though, huh, she's with you? Wonder how that works."). Still, she's supportive (mostly), whereas Solas looks upon Cullen like he's...

Horse shit, on the bottom of Solas' foot. Worse than the usual metaphor, because Solas refuses to wear shoes.

Lavellan complains of him in Cullen's bedroom, lying naked on his bed, rolling onto her back. She's beautiful always, but like this, there's a freedom and inhibition that makes Cullen want to simply tuck himself beside her and rest.

"He respects you well enough, Cullen, but he's absolutely atrocious now that he knows we're...together." She shakes her head, pressing her hand on her forehead. "It's frustrating. I thought...I thought he and I were getting on pretty well, right? I wonder if I dropped any hints on accident...maybe he thinks I lead him on. Oh, I hope not. He makes me a bit nervous."

"He makes everyone nervous," Cullen says as he lifts off each piece of his armor. She likes to watch him undress, and he's willing to do it for her, as self-conscious as it makes him feel. It isn't the nudity, but it is the act of getting nude, that makes Cullen shift. He wonders what she's thinking as she watches him unbutton pieces of fabric. She doesn't seem overly affected by it, and he doesn't "strip" in the way women at the Blooming Rose did. It's just removal of each piece. "I'm sorry he has made you feel bad."

Lavellan sighs. "It isn't me, though," she says. "His only problem with _me_ , is you. And that's unfair, don't you think? I love you, Cullen."

He pauses as he unbuttons the final layer of tunic.

"Oh," she breathes. "Ignore that, if you'd like."

He blinks at her and starts to smile, finishing undressing more quickly. He crawls onto the bed and watches her face change from a confused frown to a flushed grin. "I love you, too," he whispers against her mouth as she wraps her arms around his neck. 

He knows then, as her laughter fills his so-often empty bedroom, that even if they fumble and occasionally fall, this is not something he will give up. He will not let it go.


End file.
